Access hatch reinforcement module &amp; method of installing an access hatch to an existing hood for a mobile vehicle

ABSTRACT

An access hatch reinforcement module and a method of assembling an access hatch to an existing engine compartment hood of a vehicle. The access hatch reinforcement module includes a wall engagement component for engagement to the hood outer wall of the engine compartment hood. The access hatch reinforcement module further includes a door engagement component for engagement to a hatch door of the access hatch. The wall engagement component and the door engagement component of the access hatch reinforcement module are directly fixedly engaged to one another by temporary fixed engagements. The wall engagement component and the door engagement component are also indirectly engaged to one another through operational door connecting components such as a hinge component. The wall engagement component and the door engagement component are engaged to the hood outer wall and the portion of the hood outer wall that is engaged to the door engagement component is separated from the portion of the hood outer wall that is engaged to the wall engagement component. Thereafter the hatch door, which is comprised of what was the portion of the hood outer wall that was engaged to the door engagement component, is supported in a properly aligned manner within a newly formed hatch opening.

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. applicationSer. No. 09/734,517 filed Dec. 12, 2000, which is a non-provisionalapplication claiming priority under provisional patent application Ser.No. 60/170,086 filed Dec. 9, 1999.

BACKGROUND

[0002] This invention relates to wall assemblies for structures. Inparticular, this invention relates to wall assemblies that have accesshatches. Such wall assemblies generally comprise a wall that defines ahatch opening. It is well known to construct wall assemblies ofstructures with access hatches that can be selectively opened or closedto allow or prevent passage of objects, individuals, or substancesthrough the hatch opening of the wall between different sides of thewall. The access hatch generally comprises a hatch door that may beclosed or in other words positioned over the hatch opening to preventpassage of objects through the hatch opening between opposite sides ofthe wall. Most such access hatches have operational door connectingcomponents that can be engaged to a door engagement component and alsoengaged to a wall engagement component. The door engagement component isa component that is to be engaged directly or indirectly to the hatchdoor of the access hatch when construction of the wall assembly iscomplete. In some cases the door engagement component is, in fact, thehatch door itself. The wall engagement component is a component that isto be engaged directly or indirectly to the wall when construction ofthe wall assembly is complete. In some cases the wall engagementcomponent is, in fact, the wall itself. The operational door connectingcomponents serve to support the hatch door in certain positions relativeto the hatch opening when they are engaged to the hatch door and thewall. The operational door connecting components may comprise variousdesigns of latches, hinges, linkages, and brackets that can be engagedto the hatch door and the wall. The construction of the wall, the hatchdoor, and the operational door connecting components generally allowsfor selective positioning of the hatch door in a position covering thehatch opening or in one or more positions exposing the hatch opening. Itis also known to construct these components such that the components maybe selectively engaged to one another in a manner such that the hatchdoor is maintained in certain positions relative to the hatch opening.For instance, some access hatch assemblies include latches that can beselectively engaged to maintain the hatch door in a positionsubstantially covering the hatch opening or disengaged to allow movementof the hatch door to positions exposing the hatch opening.

[0003] Various methods of making and assembling walls that have accesshatches are well known. Known methods of constructing wall assemblieswith access hatches include making the wall which defines a hatchopening, the hatch door, the door engagement component, the wallengagement component, and the operational door connecting componentsprior to assembling these components into a unit. During the assembly ofthe components of the wall assembly to one another there are numerousopportunities for error in the relative positioning of the components.If a great deal of error in the position of the components relative toone another occurs during assembly of the wall assembly, the accesshatch often does not function properly. One common problem that resultsfrom errors in assembly of the wall assembly is misalignment or pooralignment of the hatch door with the hatch opening defined by the wall.The process of constructing a wall assembly with an access hatch asdescribed above is used to produce such a wall assembly for many typesof structures. One structure for which it is well known to produce awall assembly with such an access hatch in such a manner is the bodycomponents of a vehicle and an engine compartment hood in particular.Such access hatches for engine compartment hoods of vehicles allow thehatch door to be selectively positioned over the hatch opening toisolate the engine compartment from undesirable elements of theenvironment or to be positioned to expose the hatch opening to allowaccess to the engine compartment.

SUMMARY

[0004] A primary object of the invention is to provide a cost effectivewall assembly with an access hatch and a method of assembling the wallassembly and access hatch that allows for repeatable assembly of thecomponents in a manner that will allow for proper functioning of thecomponents.

[0005] The wall assembly of the present invention comprises a wall. Thewall assembly of the present invention is to include an access hatchwhich makes it possible to selectively allow or prevent the passage ofobjects, substances, or individuals through a hatch opening, from oneside of the wall to the other. When the construction of the wallassembly is complete, the wall defines a hatch opening, which if leftuncovered allows for the passage of objects through the hatch openingfrom one side of the wall to the other. In the completed wall assembly,a hatch door is mounted adjacent the wall by operational door connectingcomponents. The operational door connecting components serve to mountthe hatch door adjacent the wall. The construction and engagement to oneanother of the wall, the hatch door, and the operational door connectingcomponents is such that the hatch door can be selectively closed(positioned to substantially cover the hatch opening) or opened(positioned to expose the hatch opening). A hatch opening perimeterstructure is constructed during the construction and assembly of thewall assembly. The hatch opening perimeter structure is a structure thatis to be disposed adjacent to outer bounds of the hatch opening when thewall assembly is complete. The hatch opening perimeter structure may beconstructed integrally with other portions of the wall upon initialconstruction of the wall or the hatch opening perimeter structure may beconstructed separate from the wall initially and engaged to the wall ata later time. During the construction of the wall assembly, the hatchdoor of the access hatch is temporarily fixedly engaged in its closedposition to the hatch opening perimeter structure by temporary fixedengagements. Subsequent to the hatch door being fixedly engaged in itsclosed position to the hatch opening perimeter structure, one or more ofthe operational door connecting components are engaged to both the hatchopening perimeter structure and the hatch door. These operational doorconnecting components are engaged to the hatch door and the hatchopening perimeter structure in the same manner in which they would beengaged to these components to maintain the hatch door in its closedposition after final assembly of the wall assembly. After theseoperational door connecting components are engaged to the hatch door andthe hatch opening perimeter structure in this manner, the temporaryfixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeterstructure are separated. Thus, after the temporary fixed engagements ofthe hatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure are separated,the hatch door is supported adjacent the hatch opening by theoperational door connecting components engaged to the hatch door and thehatch opening perimeter structure. Construction of a wall assembly andan access hatch therefor according to the structure and methodsdescribed above all but assures that the hatch door can be supported bythe operational door connecting components in a manner properly alignedwith the hatch opening in its closed position.

[0006] Thus, it can be seen that the above-mentioned objects of theinvention, as well as others not mentioned, have been met.

DRAWINGS

[0007] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent upon perusal of the detailed description thereof and uponinspection of the drawings in which:

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an engine compartment hood with anaccess hatch constructed according to the present invention and with thehatch door in its open position.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement opposite a side on which it would be engaged to the hatchdoor and the hatch opening perimeter structure and from a first angle.

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement opposite a side on which it would be engaged to the hatchdoor and the hatch opening perimeter structure and from a second angle.

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement that would be engaged to the hatch door and the hatchopening perimeter structure and from a first angle.

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention from a side of the access hatchreinforcement that would be to the hatch door and the hatch openingperimeter structure and from a second angle.

[0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an engine compartment hood with anaccess hatch constructed according to the present invention and with thehatch door in its closed position.

[0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the wall engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the wall engagement componentthat would be engaged to the hatch opening perimeter structure and froma first angle.

[0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the wall engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the wall engagement componentthat would be engaged to the hatch opening perimeter structure and froma second angle.

[0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the door engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the door engagement componentopposite a side that would be engaged to the hatch door and from a firstangle.

[0017]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the door engagement component ofthe present invention from a same side of the door engagement componentopposite a side that would be engaged to the hatch door and from asecond angle.

[0018]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention parallel to the orientation that theouter surfaces of the hatch door would have when mounted to the accesshatch reinforcement module.

[0019]FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof of the present invention in a direction parallel to the outersurfaces of the hatch door with the temporary fixed engagements of thehatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure present and thetemporary fixed engagements of the wall engagement component to the doorengagement component also present.

[0020]FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof of the present invention in a direction parallel to the outersurfaces of the hatch door and with the construction of the wallassembly and access hatch thereof complete and with the hatch door inits closed position.

[0021]FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof of the present invention in a direction parallel to the outersurfaces of the hatch door and with the construction of the wallassembly and access hatch thereof complete and with the hatch door inits open position.

[0022]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the wall engagement component andthe door engagement component of the present invention temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another.

[0023]FIG. 16 is a sectional view through line A-A of FIG. 15 showingthe temporary fixed engagements of the wall engagement component to thedoor engagement component.

[0024]FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the access hatch reinforcementmodule of the present invention with hidden lines present.

[0025]FIG. 18 is a first sectional view of a portion of the wallassembly and access hatch thereof of the present invention in adirection parallel to the outer surfaces of the hatch door and showingthe temporary fixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatch openingperimeter structure and showing the temporary fixed engagements of thewall engagement component to the door engagement component.

[0026]FIG. 19 is a view of the wall assembly and the access hatchthereof with the hatch door in its closed position showing the outersurfaces of the hatch door and the surrounding hatch opening perimeterstructure.

[0027]FIG. 20 is a sectional view of the wall assembly and access hatchthereof through line A-A of FIG. 19 with the temporary fixed engagementsof the hatch door to the hatch opening perimeter structure separated andalso with the temporary fixed engagements of the wall engagementcomponent to the door engagement component separated.

[0028]FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 20 in Circle Bwith the temporary fixed engagements of the hatch door to the hatchopening perimeter structure intact and also with the temporary fixedengagements of the wall engagement component to the door engagementcomponent intact.

[0029]FIG. 22 is a side view of a vehicle with an engine compartmenthood that has an access hatch according to the present invention.

[0030]FIG. 23 is a plan view of one embodiment of a hatch hinge and atorsion spring type door biasing component that may be part of theaccess hatch of the present invention.

[0031]FIG. 24 is a sectional view of the hatch hinge and torsion springof FIG. 23 through line 24-24 of FIG. 23.

[0032]FIG. 25 is a sectional view of a wall assembly and access hatchthereof with a hatch hinge and torsion spring type door biasingcomponent with the hatch door of the access hatch in the closedposition.

[0033]FIG. 26 is a sectional view of a wall assembly and access hatchthereof with a hatch hinge and torsion spring type door biasingcomponent with the hatch door of the access hatch in the open positionposition.

DETAILS OF INVENTION

[0034] Referring now to the figures in detail, there is shown a wallassembly 21 for use in some type of structure 12. The wall assembly 21of the present invention comprises a wall 10. The wall assembly 21 ofthe present invention is to include an access hatch 12 which makes itpossible to selectively allow or prevent the passage of objects,substances, or individuals through a hatch opening 13, from one side ofthe wail 10 to the other. The wall 10 of the present invention may bevirtually any component that has unbroken portions 20 that preventdirect passage of objects from areas adjacent the unbroken portions 20of the wall 10 to areas on opposite sides of the unbroken portions 20 ofthe wall 10. When the construction of the wall assembly 21 is complete,the wall 10 defines a hatch opening 13, which if left uncovered, allowsfor the passage of objects through the hatch opening 13 from one side ofthe wall 10 to the other. The hatch opening 13 is, more specificallydefined between inner bounds 57 of hatch opening perimeter structure 24that is engaged to a portion of the wall 10 adjacent the hatch opening13. When the wall assembly 21 is completely constructed, a hatch door 14is mounted adjacent the wall 10 by operational door connectingcomponents 15. The operational door connecting components 15 serve tomount the hatch door 14 adjacent the wall 10. The construction andengagement to one another of the wall 10, the hatch door 14, and theoperational door connecting components 15 is such that the hatch door 14can be selectively closed (positioned to substantially cover the hatchopening 13) or opened (to expose the hatch opening 13).

[0035] The present invention includes a preferred method according towhich the wall assembly 21 is constructed. Hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 is constructed during the construction and assembly of thewall assembly 21. The hatch opening perimeter structure 24 is structurethat is to be disposed adjacent to hatch opening outer bounds 25 whenthe wall assembly 21 is complete. The hatch opening perimeter structure24 may be constructed integrally with other portions of the wall 10 uponinitial construction of the wall 10 or the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 may be constructed separate from the wall 10 initially andengaged to the wall 10 at a later time. For purposes of this disclosure,a component or components that are integrally engaged, integrallycreated, are of integral construction or are of unitary construction areunderstood to be component(s) that have the defining characteristic ofhaving been made from a single piece of material through processes suchas machining, stamping, forming, casting, molding, etc.. All portions ofcomponents made in such a manner are engaged to one another without suchmeans as welds, adhesives, fasteners, etc. During the construction ofthe wall assembly 21, temporary fixed engagements 27 temporarily fixedlyengage the hatch door 14 of the access hatch 12 in its closed positionto the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The temporary fixedengagements 27 between these components facilitate the assembly of thecomponents. The temporary fixed engagements 27 must, however, beseparated before construction of the wall assembly 21 and access hatch12 thereof is complete in order to permit proper functioning of theaccess hatch 12. The hatch door 14 is temporarily fixedly engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 in a position such that the hatchdoor 14 is properly aligned with the hatch opening perimeter structure24. The hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 couldbe constructed and temporarily engaged to one another in any of a numberof ways that would allow for construction of the wall assembly 21according to the structure and methods of the present invention.Subsequent to the hatch door 14 being temporarily fixedly engaged in itsclosed position to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, one or moreof the operational door connecting components 15 are engaged to both thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14. Theseoperational door connecting components 15 are engaged to the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in the same manner inwhich they would be in order to maintain the hatch door 14 in its closedposition after final assembly of the wall assembly 21. After theseoperational door connecting components 15 are engaged to the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in this manner, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are separated. Thus, after the temporary fixedengagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 are separated, the operational door connecting components15 support the hatch door 14 adjacent the hatch opening 13. Constructionof a wall assembly 21 and an access hatch 12 therefor according to thestructure and methods described above all but assures that theoperational door support components 15 can support the hatch door 14 inits closed position in a manner properly aligned with the hatch opening13.

[0036] The construction and engagement to one another of the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 may be of many differentdesigns. As was mentioned above, according to the present invention, thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are to betemporarily fixedly engaged to one another before operational doorconnecting components 15 are engaged to them. The hatch door 14 and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 may be constructed and temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another in any of a number of ways that wouldallow for the construction of the wall assembly 21 according to thepresent invention. In the preferred embodiment, the hatch door 14comprises a continuous sheet 26 that extends beyond a hatch doorperiphery 28 into the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. A portion ofthe continuous sheet 26 outside the hatch door periphery 28 is, in fact,part of the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The temporary fixedengagements 27 comprise fixed engagement of a portion of the continuoussheet 26 that is part of the hatch door 14 to a portion of thecontinuous sheet 26 that is part of the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 at the hatch door periphery 28. In addition to the fixedengagement of the two portions of the continuous sheet 26 to oneanother, there may be other temporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatchdoor 14 to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Alternatively, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 may consist only of the fixed engagement of thetwo portions of the continuous sheet 26 to one another. As was mentionedabove, after operational door connecting components 15 are engaged toboth the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are to be separated. In the preferred embodiment,the portion of the continuous sheet 26 that is part of the hatch door 14is separated from the portion of the continuous sheet 26 that is part ofthe hatch opening perimeter structure 24 at the hatch door periphery 28.The hatch door periphery 28 is considered to be outer portions of thehatch door 14 or portions of the hatch door 14 that will be the outerportions of the hatch door 14 after separation of the hatch doorperiphery 28 from the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Thecontinuous sheet 26 is separated at the hatch door periphery 28 byshearing, fracturing, or cutting the two portions of the continuoussheet 26 from each other. In the preferred embodiment, the hatch door 14is separated from the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 by cuttingthe hatch door 14 from the hatch opening perimeter structure by using arouter. Upon separation of the hatch door 14 from the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 in such a manner, the hatch opening 13 is definedbetween inner bounds 29 of the hatch opening perimeter structure 24.Because the hatch door 14 is separated from the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 in this manner, the hatch door 14 has a very similar shapeas and is just slightly smaller than the hatch opening 13. As mentionedabove, the hatch door 14 is temporarily fixedly engaged to the hatchopening perimeter structure 24 in a position properly aligned with thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 before the operational doorconnecting components 15 are engaged between the components. As aresult, it is all but completely assured that, after separation of thetemporary fixed engagements 27, the hatch door 14 can be supportedadjacent the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 by the operationaldoor connecting components 15 in a properly aligned manner.

[0037] In the preferred embodiment, some of the operational doorconnecting components 15 are connected to the hatch door 14 and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 indirectly. In this embodiment, theoperational door connecting components 15 are engaged to the hatchopening perimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14 through hatchengagement components 61. Hatch engagement components 61 include wallengagement components 23 and door engagement components 22. Each hatchengagement component 61 is comprised of a hatch engagement componentbody 62. In this embodiment a door engagement component 22 is engaged tothe hatch door 14 and a wall engagement component 23 is engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24. The door engagement component 22and the hatch door 14 may be constructed of any of a number of differentmaterials and may be engaged to one another in any of a number ofdifferent ways. In the preferred embodiment, the door engagementcomponent 22 and the hatch door 14 are made of materials such asplastics, composites, or fiberglass materials. The components arepreferably engaged to one another by bonding the components to oneanother in ways that it is well known to bond components made of suchmaterials for use in vehicle bodies. The wall engagement component 23and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 may be constructed of anyof a number of different materials and may be engaged to one another inany of a number of different ways. In the preferred embodiment, the wallengagement component 23 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 aremade of materials such as plastics, composites, or fiberglass materials.The components are preferably engaged to one another by bonding thecomponents to one another in ways that it is well known to bondcomponents made of such materials for use in vehicle bodies. One or moreof the operational door connecting components 15 that are engaged toboth the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 areengaged to the door engagement component 22 and the wall engagementcomponent 23. One or more of the operational door connecting components15 may be engaged only to the door engagement component 22 and the wallengagement component 23 and would, thus, be engaged only indirectly tothe hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24.Preferably, but not necessarily, the wall engagement component 23 isfixedly engaged to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the doorengagement component 14 is fixedly engaged to the hatch door 14. Thewall engagement component 23 and the hatch engagement component 22 areengaged to one another indirectly through their engagement to the one ormore operational door connecting components 15 and their engagement tothe hatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14,respectively. In the preferred embodiment, during the construction ofthe wall assembly 21, the wall engagement component 23 and the hatchengagement component 22 are temporarily fixedly engaged to one anotherdirectly by temporary fixed engagements 64 between them. The temporaryfixed engagements 64 between these components facilitate the assembly ofthe components. The temporary fixed engagements 64 must, however, beseparated before construction of the wall assembly 21 and access hatch12 thereof is complete in order to permit proper functioning of theaccess hatch 12. Before construction of the wall assembly 21 iscomplete, and after the one or more operational door connectingcomponents 15 are engaged to them, the temporary fixed engagements 64between the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 21 are separated. This is necessary to allow for properfunctioning of the access hatch 12. Preferably, the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the door engagement component 22 are temporarilyfixedly engaged to one another by tabs 40 that extend between the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22. Each ofthe one or more tabs 40 has a middle portion 53 disposed between itsterminal end portions 54 that are fixedly engaged to the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the door engagement component 22. Preferably, when thewall engagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 aretemporarily fixedly engaged to one another, the tabs 40 extend betweenthe wall engagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 ina position such that the middle portion 53 of each of the tabs 40 isdisposed adjacent the hatch door periphery 28. Separation of thetemporary fixed engagements 64 of the wall engagement component 23 tothe door engagement component 22 is preferably accomplished by severingthe tabs 40 at points adjacent the hatch door periphery 28. The tabs 40,may, in fact, be severed adjacent the hatch door periphery 28 at thesame time that the hatch door 14 is separated from the hatch openingperimeter opening 24 at the hatch door periphery 28. In the preferredembodiment, the fixed engagements 64 of the wall engagement component 23to the door engagement component 22 through the tabs 40 is the onlytemporary fixed engagement 64 of the wall engagement component 23 to thedoor engagement component 22. As a result, during the process ofassembling the wall assembly 21, once the tabs 40 are severed, the wallengagement component 23 is only engaged to the door engagement component22 by operational door connecting components 15 engaged between them.

[0038] The tabs 40 that may be utilized to temporarily fixedly engagethe wall engagement component 23 to the door engagement component 22 mayalso serve to facilitate alignment of the door engagement component 22to the wall engagement component 23 during assembly of the wall assembly21 and the access hatch 12 thereof. The wall engagement component 23 andthe door engagement component 22 may be created simultaneously as anintegral component. Alternatively, the wall engagement component 23 andthe door engagement component 22 may be created separately andthereafter temporarily fixedly engaged to one another. In the preferredembodiment, the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 are created independently from one another. In thepreferred embodiment, one or more tabs 40 are initially created with andare integrally engaged to the wall engagement component 23 and/or thedoor engagement component 22. Each of the tabs 40 that is integrallyengaged to either the wall engagement component 23 or the doorengagement component 22 has an outer terminal end 60. The outer terminalend 60 of these tabs 40 is disposed opposite an end of the tabs 40integrally engaged to either the wall engagement component 23 or thedoor engagement component 22. Also, in the preferred embodiment, thestructures of the wall engagement component 23 and/or the doorengagement component 22 define tab recesses 41 that are complimentary tothe tabs 40. Both tab(s) 40, and complimentary recess(s) 41 of the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 may beconsidered tab alignment features 63. The wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 23 are preferably constructed suchthat the tab alignment features 63 of the respective components arecomplimentary to one another. In order for a tab alignment feature 63 ofone component to be considered complimentary to a tab alignment feature63 of another component the tab alignment features must be constructedand positioned so that they may be engaged to one another. In otherwords, complimentary tab alignment features 63 must comprise acomplimentary recess 41 defined by one component and a tab 40 engaged tothe other component in a position such that the tab 40 may be receivedwithin the complimentary recess 41. In the preferred embodiment the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 comprise aplurality of complimentary tab alignment features 63 that may be engagedto one another simultaneously. Also, in the preferred embodiment, wheneach one of the plurality of complimentary tab alignment features 63 aresimultaneously engaged to one another the wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 22 are positioned in the position inwhich they are to be in when temporarily fixedly engaged. Theconstruction of the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 is preferably such that when the tabs 40 are disposedwithin the tab recesses 41, movement of the components relative to oneanother in directions parallel to hatch door outer surfaces 42 isconsiderably restricted. In the D-5063 preferred embodiment, therestriction of relative movement between these components is caused byabutment in directions parallel to the hatch door outer surfaces 42between the tabs 40 and surfaces of the tab recesses 41 within which thetabs 40 are disposed. In order to effect this result, the constructionof the components is such that relatively small gap(s) are presentbetween one or more tabs 40 and surfaces of the recess(s) 41 withinwhich they are disposed in each of the directions parallel to the hatchdoor outer surfaces 42. Thus, small relative movements of the wallengagement component 23 and the hatch engagement component 22 indirections parallel to the hatch door outer surfaces 42 cause the tabs40 to abut surfaces of the recesses 41 and prevent further relativemovement of the components. As a result, the tabs 40 and tab recesses 41facilitate the realization and maintenance of proper alignment of thedoor engagement component 22 with the wall engagement component 23 priorto these components being temporarily fixedly engaged to one another.

[0039] In an embodiment of the present invention in which the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 are createdindependent of one another and subsequently temporarily fixedly engagedto one another, there are a number of ways that the components can befixedly engaged to one another. Means by which the components may befixedly engaged to one another include but are not limited to fastening,welding, gluing, and other types of bonding. In the preferredembodiment, the wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 are temporarily fixedly engaged to one another by bondingthe tabs 40 to the surfaces of the complimentary recesses 41.

[0040] The wall assembly 21 may further include means for sealing thehatch door 14 to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 when the hatchdoor 14 is in its closed position. This sealing structure that may beincluded in the wall assembly 21 helps to prevent passage of objects orsubstances through gaps that may be present between the hatch door 14and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. In the preferredembodiment a seal component 51 is engaged to either the hatch door 14,the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, or structure engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24. The seal component 51 ispositioned such that, when the hatch door 14 is in its closed position,the seal component 51 is sandwiched between the hatch door 14 and eitherthe hatch opening perimeter structure 24, or structure engaged to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24. Thus, the seal component 51 fillsgaps that exist between the hatch door 14 and either the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 or structure engaged to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. The seal component 51, thus, helps to preventthe passage of such things as dust and moisture through the gaps thatthe seal component 51 fills. Construction of access hatches 12 with sealcomponents 51 in such a manner is well known.

[0041] The access hatch 12 of the wall assembly 21 of the presentinvention may include one or more door biasing components 65. Thepurpose of such door biasing components 65 would be to exert forces andor moments directly or indirectly upon the hatch door 14 and the hatchopening perimeter structure 24, in order to urge the hatch door 14toward certain position(s) relative to the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24. The one or more door biasing components 65 that the accesshatch 12 comprises may be any of a number of different types ofactuators such as springs, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, magnets,linear or rotational motors etc.. The construction of the access hatch12 may be such that the door biasing components 65 urge the hatch door14 to any of a number of different positions relative to the hatchopening perimeter structure 24. The construction of the access hatch 12may, for instance, be such that the door biasing components 65 urge thehatch door 14 toward its closed position, toward its open position, ortoward one or more positions therebetween relative to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. In the preferred embodiment, the door biasingcomponent(s) 65 of the wall assembly 21 and access hatch 12 thereof urgethe hatch door 14 toward its open position relative to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. In fact, in the preferred embodiment, the accesshatch 12 is constructed such that the door biasing components 65 willmaintain the hatch door 14 in its open position unless forces areapplied to the hatch door 12 by an individual attempting to close thehatch door 12, by objects resting upon or impacting the hatch door 14,or by latches 45 intended to maintain the hatch door 12 in a closedposition. It is fairly well known to construct access hatches 12 withdoor biasing components 65 that serve to urge a hatch door 14 towardcertain positions relative to hatch opening perimeter structure 24 of anaccess hatch 12.

[0042] Many known constructions of access hatches 12 have door biasingcomponents 65 that are undesirably large and are located in undesirablepositions relative to other components of the access hatch 12 and that,therefore, obstruct passage of objects through the hatch opening 13 orprevent optimum positioning of other components. The preferredembodiment of the access hatch 12 of the present invention isconstructed with a door biasing component 65 that occupies relativelylittle space in addition to that necessarily occupied by the othercomponents of the access hatch 12. In the preferred embodiment, theaccess hatch 12 includes a door biasing component 65 that is a torsionspring 66. As is well known, the torsion spring 66 includes a springbody 67. The spring body 67 of the torsion spring 66 may be constructedof many different materials and may have one many different knowngeometries. In general, such torsion springs 66 have a twist axis 68which is a straight line about which various parts of the spring body 67are intended to rotate relative to one another when the spring body 67is elastically deformed and stores energy. The torsion spring 66 of theaccess hatch 12 may comprise a spring body 67 that is a member thatextends continuously in the direction of the twist axis 68 of thetorsion spring 66. An example of such a spring body 67 would be astraight piece of round stock the longitudinal axis of which iscongruent with the twist axis 68 of the torsion spring 66. The torsionspring 66 of the access hatch 12 may, alternatively be constructed witha spring body 67 that extends circumferentially around the twist axis 68of the torsion spring 66. One example of a type of torsion spring 66that has such a spring body 67. and that is well known, is a torsionspring 66 that has a coil that spirals from a first end progressivelyradially away from the twist axis 68 to an outermost second end. Thepreferred embodiment of the access hatch 12 comprises a torsion spring66 that has a spring body 67 comprised of coil that extends helicallycircumferentially around and along the twist axis 68 of the torsionspring 66.

[0043] The access hatch 12 may be constructed with a torsion spring 66of any of many different constructions and with the torsion spring 66engaged to the other components of the access hatch 12 in any of manydifferent ways. The preferred embodiment of the access hatch 12 of thepresent invention, in its finally assembled state, includes a hatchhinge 43 that is engaged to the hatch door 14 and the hatch perimeterstructure 24 in a manner such that the hatch door 14 is pivotallysupported relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 by thehatch hinge 43. The hatch hinge 43 includes a first plate 69 that isengaged directly or indirectly to the hatch door 14, a second plate 70that is engaged directly or indirectly to the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 and a hinge pin 71 that pivotally engages the first plate69 to the second plate 70. As was mentioned above, the preferredembodiment of the access hatch 12 includes a door biasing component 65that comprises a torsion spring 66 with a spring body 68 that is ahelically wound coil 74. In the preferred embodiment, and as is bestshown in FIGS. 23-26, the hinge pin 71 of the hatch hinge 43 extendsthrough the helically wound coil 74 of the spring body 67 of the torsionspring 66 in such an orientation that the hinge axis 44 of the accesshatch 12 is substantially coincident with the twist axis 68 of thetorsion spring 66. As is shown in the figures, in order to permitpositioning of the torsion spring 66 with the helically wound coil 74 ofthe spring body 67 surrounding a portion of the hinge pin 71 in such amanner, the hatch hinge 43 must be constructed so that a spring bodyvoid 72 is present between the hinge pin 71 and the plates 69, 70 of thehatch hinge 43. The embodiment of the hatch hinge 43 shown in FIGS.23-26 is only one example of many different constructions, easilyimagined by one of ordinary skill in the art, of a hatch hinge 43 thatwould define an appropriate spring body void 72 to permit positioning ofthe hinge pin 71 through the helically wound coil 74 of the torsionspring 66. An access hatch 12 that is constructed with the hinge pin 71of the hatch hinge 43 extending through the helically wound coil 74 of atorsion spring 66 is beneficial because it is a very space efficientarrangement of the components of the access hatch 12. The torsion spring66 of such an access hatch 12 occupies very little space that would notbe occupied by other components of the access hatch 12, were the torsionspring 66 absent.

[0044] The torsion spring 66, of the preferred embodiment has a leg 73extending from each end of the helically wound coil 74 in a directionradially away from the twist axis 68 and the helically wound coil 74 ofthe torsion spring 66. As is shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, when the accesshatch 12 is fully assembled the hatch door 14 or components engaged toit and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 or components engaged toit each abut one of the legs 73 extending from the torsion spring 66.The legs 73 of the torsion spring 66 may not be in constant abutmentwith these components but would abut these components at least when thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are incertain positions relative to one another. When the hatch door 14 orcomponents engaged to it engages one of the legs 73 of the torsionspring 66 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 or componentsengaged to it abuts another of the legs 73 of the torsion spring 66, thetorsion spring 66 resists rotation of the hatch door 14 in one directionrelative to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Thus, bysimultaneously applying opposing forces to the hatch door 14 and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 through the legs 73 of the torsionspring, the torsion spring 66 urges the hatch door 14 toward certainpositions relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. In thepreferred embodiment, it is the first plate 69 and the second plate 70of the hatch hinge 43 that abut the legs 73 of the torsion spring 66.

[0045] As was mentioned earlier, the construction of the access hatch 12and any door biasing components 65 of the access hatch 12 may be suchthat the door biasing components 65 urge the hatch door 14 toward itsopen position or, alternatively toward its closed position. In thepreferred embodiment the torsion spring 66 of the access hatch 12 urgesthe hatch door 14 toward its open position. In the preferred embodiment,the construction of the torsion spring 66, the other components of theaccess hatch 12 and the engagement of the torsion spring 66 and theother components of the access hatch 12 to one another is such that thetorsion spring 66 is closest to its free state when the hatch door 14 isin its open position. As the hatch door 14 is rotated about the hatchhinge axis 44 toward its closed position the first plate 69 and thesecond plate 70 work against the legs 73 of the torsion spring 66 toelastically deform the torsion spring 66 away from its free state andenergy is stored in the spring body 67 of the torsion spring 66. In thepreferred embodiment, the torsion spring 66 is constructed with a highenough spring rate and with such a geometry, that the torsion spring 66will exert enough moment upon the hatch door 14 to counteract any momentexerted upon the hatch door 14 by gravity when the hatch door 14 is inits open position. Thus the geometry, spring rate, and engagement of thetorsion spring 66 to other components of the access hatch 12 is suchthat the hatch door 14 can be maintained in its open position by thetorsion spring 66. In the preferred embodiment the access hatch 12includes latches 45 that may be engaged to both the hatch door 14 andthe hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in order to counteract themoment applied to the hatch door 14 by the torsion spring 66 andmaintain the hatch door 14 in its closed position. An example of a hatchdoor 14 in the closed position with latches 45 counteracting the momentapplied to the hatch door 14 by the torsion spring 66 is illustrated inFIG. 25.

[0046] The wall assembly 21 and the components of the wall assembly 21may be constructed for use as part of any of a number of different kindsof structures. In the preferred embodiment, the wall assembly 21 and thecomponents of the wall assembly 21 are constructed for use as part of avehicle 29. Such a vehicle 29 generally includes a frame 31 to which ahigh percentage of the components of the vehicle 29 are directly orindirectly engaged. The frame 31 generally serves to locate most of thecomponents of the vehicle 29 relative to one another. The vehicle 29also includes a suspension system 32 that is engaged to the frame 31.The suspension system 32 is constructed to support the frame 31 and toprovide the vehicle 29 with a relatively low rolling resistance alongthe ground. The vehicle 29 may have a powertrain 33 engaged to the frame31 and the suspension system 32 for providing motivation for the vehicle29 along the ground. The vehicle 29 would also likely include one ormore body structures 34. The body structures 34 of the vehicle aregenerally constructed for containment of objects within themselvesand/or to provide isolation from undesirable elements of the environmentfor objects and/or individuals that are in certain positions relative tothe body structures 34. The body structures 34 of the vehicle 29 aregenerally mounted to and supported by the frame 31 of the vehicle 29. Avehicle 29 may have a number of different body structures 34 ofdifferent types. One type of body structure 34 that a vehicle 29 mighthave is an occupant cabin 35. Another type of body structure 34 that avehicle 29 might have is a cargo body 36. The wall assembly 21 and thecomponents of the wall assembly 21 of the present invention may bevehicle body components. In order for the wall assembly 21 and thecomponents of the wall assembly 21 to be considered vehicle bodycomponents they must be constructed to be a part of one of the bodystructures 34 of the vehicle 29.

[0047] Yet another type of body structure 34 that a vehicle 29 mighthave is an engine compartment hood 37. An engine compartment hood 37 isa body structure 34 that is disposed on one or more sides of (includingabove, below, in front of, behind, and beside) an engine which is partof the powertrain 33 of the vehicle 29. The engine compartment hood 37is constructed and positioned relative to the engine of the vehicle 29in any of a number of well known ways such that the engine compartmenthood 37 helps to isolate the engine of the vehicle 29 from undesirableelements of the environment. Engine compartment hoods 37 are generallyconstructed with a hood outer wall 38 that is disposed on one or moresides of the engine of the vehicle 29. The hood outer wall 38 preventsobjects, and substances from travelling from places on a side of thehood outer wall 38 opposite the engine to a side of the outer wall 38 onwhich the engine is disposed. In many cases, the engine compartment hood37 also includes hood reinforcing structure 39 engaged to the hood outerwall 38. The purpose of the hood reinforcing structure 39, being tostiffen and strengthen the engine compartment hood 37. Construction ofengine compartment hoods 37 according to these and/or other guidelinesis well known. In the preferred embodiment, the wall assembly 21 of thepresent invention and the components of the wall assembly 21 are enginecompartment hood components. In other words, the wall assembly 21 andthe components of the wall assembly 21 are constructed to be part of theengine compartment hood 37 of the vehicle 29. In such an application,the wall 10 of the wall assembly 21 is engaged directly or indirectly tothe hood outer wall 38 of the engine compartment hood 37. In fact, thewall 10, of the wall assembly 21, defines a portion of the hood outerwall 38 of the engine compartment hood 37. An engine compartment hood 37constructed with the wall assembly 21 of the present invention alsocomprises the access hatch 12 of the present invention. When the hatchdoor 14 is in its closed position, the hatch door 14 prevents objectsand substances from passing from a side of the wall 10 opposite theengine, through the hatch opening 13 to a same side of the wall 10 asthe engine. The access hatch 12 and the engine compartment hood 37 areconstructed such that when the hatch door 14 is in its open position,passage of objects from one side of the wall 10 to the other through thehatch opening 13 is permitted in both directions. In other words, thecomponents of the engine compartment hood 37, other than the hatch door14, are constructed and positioned so as to not obstruct passage ofobjects through the hatch opening 14 of the access hatch 12 from oneside of the wall assembly 21 to the other. Thus, when the hatch door 14is in its open position, it is possible to access and performmaintenance procedures on the engine of the vehicle 29 from a side ofthe wall opposite the engine. Such an engine compartment hood 37 may beconstructed and engaged to the vehicle 29 in a manner allowing movementof the entire engine compartment hood 37, including the access hatch 12,to an open position to allow for even greater access to the engine ofthe vehicle 29. The hatch opening perimeter structure 24 and the hatchdoor 14, which are initially temporarily fixedly engaged to one another,may be created integrally with the rest of the hood outer wall 38 whenthe hood outer wall 38 is created. Alternatively, the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 and the hatch door 14 may be createdindependently of the hood outer wall 38 and engaged to the hood outerwall 38 after the creation of the hood outer wall 38. In the preferredembodiment, the hood outer wall 38, the hood reinforcing structure 39,the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, and the hatch door 14 areconstructed of fiberglass, plastic, and composite type materials as itis well known to do for engine compartment hoods 37 of heavy truckvehicles 29. Also, in the preferred embodiment, many of these componentsthat are constructed of such materials are bonded to one another usingtechniques for bonding such materials together that are well known.

[0048] The operational door connecting components 15 may be constructedand engaged to the other components of the wall assembly 21 in any of anumber of different ways easily imagined by one of ordinary skill in theart. Any construction of operational door connecting components 15 andengagement of them to the other components of the wall assembly 21 thatmeets the functional requirements for the operational door connectingcomponents 15 after assembly of the wall assembly is complete would besatisfactory. These functional requirements are that the operationaldoor connecting components 15 must be able to support the hatch door 14in its closed position relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure24, and allow for movement of the hatch door 14 from its closedposition. The operational door connecting components 15 may or may notbe constructed to also support the hatch door 14 in positions other thanits closed position relative to the hatch opening perimeter structure24. The hatch door 14 the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, may beconstructed and engaged to one another in a manner allowing for movementof the hatch door 14 between its open and closed position when thecomponents are engaged to one another. Alternatively, the constructionand engagement of the hatch door 14, the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24, and the operational door connecting components 15 mayrequire disengagement of one or more of the components from one anotherin order to permit movement of the hatch door 14 from its closedposition. The operational door connecting components 15 may comprisevarious types of linkages, hinges, latches, fasteners, brackets andother types of components well known for use in supporting hatch doors14 relative to hatch opening perimeter structure 24. In the preferredembodiment, the operational door connecting components 15 include ahatch hinge 43 that is engaged directly or indirectly to the hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The hatch hinge 43 isengaged to the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure24 in a manner such that the hatch door 14 is supported relative to thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 by the hatch hinge 43. The hatchhinge 43 is engaged to these components in a manner such that the hatchhinge 43 allows for and supports the hatch door 14 during pivoting ofthe hatch door 14 about a hinge axis 44 relative to the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. Thus, the hatch door 14 can be pivoted betweenits closed position and any of a number of positions away from itsclosed position in which the hatch opening 13 is exposed by the hatchdoor 14. In the preferred embodiment, the operational door connectingcomponents 15 further include latches 45 that can be engaged to both thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 in order tomaintain the hatch door 14 in its closed position. Each of these latches45 includes a tensioned component 46 such as an elastomeric member thatmay be selectively engaged or disengaged through brackets to the hatchdoor 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. The constructionof the access hatch 12 is such that the latches 45 exert an increasingmoment upon the hatch door 14, about the hinge axis 44, in a directionurging the hatch door 14 toward its closed position, as the hatch door14 pivots away from the closed position. Construction of and engagementof latches 45 to access hatches 12 in such a manner is well known.

[0049] The wall engagement component 23 and the door engagementcomponent 22 might be constructed and engaged to the components of theaccess hatch 12 in a manner to provide substantial reinforcement for thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24,respectively. In order to provide such reinforcement, the wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 would beconstructed with a substantially greater strength and stiffness incertain modes than the hatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24, respectively. The wall engagement component 23 and thedoor engagement component 22 may be constructed in any of a number ofways, easily imagined by one of ordinary skill in the art, that wouldenable them to reinforce the hatch door 14 and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. In order to properly serve as a reinforcement,the wall engagement component 23 must be constructed with a relativelyhigh stiffness and strength against buckling in directions parallel tothe hatch door outer surfaces 42 and against bending in directionsperpendicular to the hatch door outer surfaces 42. In order to properlyserve as a reinforcement, the door engagement component 23 must also beconstructed with a relatively high stiffness and strength againstbuckling in directions parallel to the hatch door outer surfaces 42 andagainst bending in directions perpendicular to the hatch door outersurfaces 42. By saying that the wall engagement component 23 and thedoor engagement component 22 must have a relatively high stiffness andstrength it is meant that their stiffness and strength must beconsiderably greater than that of the components they are intended toreinforce. It is preferable that each wall engagement component 23 haspoints of engagement to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 thatare separated by a considerable distance, so that large spans of thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 are reinforced by the wallengagement component 23. It is also preferable that the door engagementcomponent 22 has points of engagement to the hatch door 14 that are nearthe hatch door outer periphery 28 so that substantially the entire spanof the hatch door 14 is reinforced by the door engagement component 22.In the preferred embodiment, the wall engagement component 23 comprisesan opening perimeter reinforcement ring 47. The opening perimeterreinforcement ring 47 comprises a first reinforcement ring body 55. Thefirst reinforcement ring body 55 extends along a first ring bodycentroidal curve 56. A majority of portions of the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 adjacent an inner bound 57 of the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 have some portion of the first ring reinforcementring body 55 engaged to them. In order to make this possible, the firstreinforcement ring body 55 must be constructed such that the shape ofthe first ring body centroidal curve 56 has a shape very similar to theshape of the outer bound 57 of the hatch opening perimeter structure 24.The opening perimeter reinforcement ring 47 is constructed such that amajority of cross-sections of the first reinforcement ring body 55perpendicular to the first ring body centroidal curve 56, have arelatively high section modulus about axes perpendicular to the firstring body centroidal curve 56. Thus, the opening perimeter reinforcementring 47 stiffens and strengthens the hatch opening perimeter structure24 against bending in directions perpendicular to the first ring bodycentroidal curve 56 and against buckling in directions parallel to thefirst ring body centroidal curve 56. In the preferred embodiment, thedoor engagement component 22 comprises a door reinforcement ring 49. Thedoor reinforcement ring 49 comprises a second reinforcement ring body 58that extends along a second ring body centroidal curve 59. A majority ofportions of the hatch door 14 adjacent the hatch door periphery 28 havesome portion of the door reinforcement ring 49 engaged to them. In orderto make this possible, the second reinforcement ring body 58 must beconstructed such that the shape of the second ring body centroidal curve56 has a shape very similar to the shape of the hatch door periphery 28of the hatch door 14. The construction of the door reinforcement ring 49is such that substantially all cross-sections of the secondreinforcement ring body 58 perpendicular to the second ring bodycentroidal curve 59 have a relatively high section modulus about axesperpendicular to the second ring body centroidal curve 59. Thus, thedoor reinforcement ring 49 stiffens and strengthens the hatch door 14against bending in directions perpendicular to the second ring bodycentroidal curve 59 and against buckling in directions parallel to thesecond ring body centroidal curve 59. In the preferred embodiment, theopening perimeter reinforcement ring 47 is created as a single unitarypiece with no assembly required after creation. In the preferredembodiment, the door reinforcement ring 49 is also created as a singleunitary piece with no assembly required after creation. In the past manysuch reinforcement structures for hatch doors 14 and hatch openingperimeter structures 24 were assembled by fastening, welding orotherwise engaging a multitude of independently created componentstogether. Thus, because no assembly of the opening perimeterreinforcement ring 47 or the door reinforcement ring 49 is required,less assembly labor is required of the access hatch 12 of the preferredembodiment than is required for access hatches 12 that includereinforcement components assembled from multiple parts.

[0050] The process of assembling the wall assembly 21 of the presentinvention, preferably includes assembly of an access hatch reinforcementmodule 52. The access hatch reinforcement module 52 of the presentinvention comprises a wall engagement component 23, a door engagementcomponent 22, and operational door connecting components 15. The wallengagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22 arepreferably, but not necessarily, constructed in a manner such that theymay act as reinforcements to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24and the hatch door 14, respectively. The wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 22, of the access hatch reinforcementmodule 52, are temporarily fixedly engaged to one another in any mannerin accordance with the description included in this disclosure of theconstruction of the temporary fixed engagements 64 of these components.The wall engagement component 23 and the door engagement component 22are positioned relative to one another in a same position that theywould be in relative to one another when the wall assembly 21 is fullyassembled and the hatch door 14 is in its closed position. One or moreof the operational door connecting components 15 of the access hatchreinforcement module 52 are engaged to both the wall engagementcomponent 23 and the door engagement component 22. The operational doorconnecting components 15 may be engaged to the wall engagement component23 and the door engagement component 22 in any manner in accordance withthe description contained in this disclosure. In the preferredembodiment, the wall engagement component 23 is temporarily fixedlyengaged to the door engagement component 22, before the operational doorconnecting components 15 are engaged to the wall engagement component 23and the door engagement component 22.

[0051] The process of assembling the wall assembly 21 of the presentinvention preferably includes engaging the assembled access hatchreinforcement module 52 to the hatch door 14 and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24. The hatch door 14 and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are, preferably, temporarily fixedly engaged toone another, as described elsewhere in this disclosure, before theaccess hatch reinforcement module 52 is engaged to them. The hatch door14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are positioned relativeto one another in a same position that they would be in relative to oneanother after assembly of the wall assembly 21 is complete and when thehatch door 14 were in its closed position. Upon initial engagement toone another, the access hatch reinforcement module 52, the hatch door14, and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24, are positionedrelative to one another in the position that they will be in afterassembly of the wall assembly 21 is complete and when the hatch door 14is closed. Preferably, the hatch door 14, the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24, and the wall 10 of the wall assembly are a singleintegrally created component before engagement of the access hatchreinforcement module 52 to them. It should be noted that, generally, nospecial construction of the engine compartment hood 37 or the hood outerwall 38 is necessary in order to enable construction of an access hatch12 to the engine compartment hood 37 according to the methods andconstructions of the present invention. In general, the construction ofthe access hatch reinforcement module 52 is tailored to the design of anexisting engine compartment hood 37, in order to enable construction ofan access hatch 12 according to the present invention. Preferably, thehatch door 14 and the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are portionsof a hood outer wall 38 to which the access hatch reinforcement module52 is engaged before the temporary fixed engagements 27 of the hatchdoor 14 to the hatch opening perimeter structure 24 are separated. Inthe preferred embodiment, the portion of the hood outer wall 38 thatconstitutes the hatch door 14 is simply a portion of the hood outer wall38 that is in a position where it is desired to position the accesshatch 12. In this embodiment, the hatch opening perimeter structure 24is the portion of the hood outer wall 38 that is disposed outside thehatch door periphery 38. In this embodiment, the temporary fixedengagements 27 of the hatch door 14 to the hatch opening perimeterstructure 24 are the integral engagements, that are created with thecreation of the hood outer wall 38, between the portion of the hoodouter wall 38 that is the hatch door 14 and the portion of the hoodouter wall 38 that is the hatch opening perimeter structure 24. Afterthe access hatch reinforcement module 52, the hatch door 14, and thehatch opening perimeter structure 24 are engaged to one another, thetemporary fixed engagements 27 between the hatch door 14 and the hatchopening perimeter structure 24 are separated. Also after the accesshatch reinforcement module 52, the hatch door 14, and the hatch openingperimeter structure 24 are engaged to one another, the temporary fixedengagements 64 between the wall engagement component 23 and the doorengagement component 22 are separated. After the temporary fixedengagements 27 are separated, the hatch door 14 is supported in aproperly aligned manner within the hatch opening 13, by the operationaldoor connecting components 15.

[0052] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications couldbe made to the invention as described without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and thus the scope of the invention islimited only by the following claims.

We claim:
 1. An access hatch, comprising: (a) hatch opening perimeterstructure which defines a hatch opening within an inner bound of saidhatch opening perimeter structure; (b) a hatch door; (c) a hatch hingethat is engaged to said hatch opening perimeter structure and said hatchdoor in a manner such that said hatch door is pivotally supportedrelative to said hatch opening perimeter structure by said hatch hinge;(d) wherein said hatch door may be pivoted between a closed position inwhich said hatch door substantially covers and prevents passage ofobjects through said hatch opening and an open position in which saidhatch door leaves said hatch opening exposed so that objects may passthrough said hatch opening; (e) wherein said hatch hinge comprises afirst plate and a second plate both of which are pivotally engaged to ahinge pin of said hatch hinge in a manner such that relative movementbetween said first plate and said second plate is substantiallyconstricted to rotation about a longitudinal axis of said hinge pinwhich defines a hinge axis of said access hatch; (f) wherein said firstplate of said hatch hinge is fixedly engaged, directly or indirectly, tosaid hatch door; (g) wherein said second plate of said hatch hinge isfixedly engaged, directly or indirectly, to said hatch opening perimeterstructure; (h) a torsion spring that comprises a spring body comprisinga helically wound coil that extends circumferentially around and along atwist axis of said torsion spring; (i) wherein said first plate, saidsecond plate, and said hinge pin of said hatch hinge are constructed andengaged to one another in such a manner that a spring body void isdefined surrounding a portion of said hinge pin of said hatch hinge; (j)wherein said hinge pin and said torsion spring are disposed relative toone another such that said portion of said hinge pin around which saidspring body void is defined extends through said helically wound coil ofsaid spring body of said torsion spring; (k) wherein said torsion springcomprises two legs, one of which extends radially away from said twistaxis of said torsion spring from each end of said helically wound coilof said spring body of said torsion spring; and (l) wherein said legs ofsaid torsion spring are disposed such that at some point as said hatchdoor is pivoted about said hinge axis of said access hatch relative tosaid hatch opening perimeter structure said hatch door or a componentengaged to it abuts one of said legs of said torsion spring and saidhatch opening perimeter structure or a component engaged to it abuts adifferent one of said legs of torsion spring and rotation of said hatchdoor will be resisted in one direction by said torsion spring as saidlegs exert opposing forces directly or indirectly upon said hatch doorand said hatch opening perimeter structure.
 2. The access hatch of claim1 , wherein: (a) said access hatch and said components of said accesshatch are vehicle body components.
 3. The access hatch of claim 2 ,wherein: (a) said access hatch and said components of said access hatchare engine compartment hood components.
 4. The access hatch of claim 3 ,wherein: (a) said access hatch is constructed such that said torsionspring is closest to its free state when said hatch door is in said openposition relative to said hatch opening perimeter structure.
 5. Theaccess hatch of claim 4 , wherein: (a) said torsion spring isconstructed with a spring rate such that when said hatch door is in saidopen position said torsion spring exerts sufficient moment upon saidhatch door to counteract any moment exerted upon said hatch door bygravity acting on said hatch door and, thus, said torsion spring iscapable of maintaining said hatch door in said open position.
 6. Theaccess hatch of claim 5 , wherein: (a) said access hatch furthercomprises a door engagement component that is fixedly engaged to saidhatch door; (b) said first plate of said hatch hinge is fixedly engagedto said door engagement component and said first plate is engaged tosaid hatch door only through its engagement to said door engagementcomponent; (c) said access hatch further comprises a wall engagementcomponent that is fixedly engaged to said hatch opening perimeterstructure; (d) said second plate of said hatch hinge is fixedly engagedto said wall engagement component and said second plate is engaged tosaid hatch opening perimeter structure only through its engagement tosaid wall engagement component; (e) said wall engagement component isconstructed such that it provides substantial reinforcement for saidhatch opening perimeter structure; and (f) said door engagementcomponent is constructed such that it provides substantial reinforcementfor said hatch door.
 7. The access hatch of claim 6 , wherein: (a) saidwall engagement component is of unitary construction; and (b) said doorengagement component is of unitary construction.
 8. The access hatch ofclaim 7 , wherein: (a) said wall engagement component comprises anopening perimeter reinforcement ring that is constructed of a firstreinforcement ring body that extends along a first ring body centroidalcurve; (b) said opening perimeter reinforcement ring is constructed witha shape such that said first ring body centroidal curve is of a shapesimilar to a shape of said inner bound of said hatch opening perimeterstructure; (c) said first reinforcement ring body has a shape such thata majority of cross sections of said first reinforcement ring bodyperpendicular to said first ring body centroidal curve have a relativelysubstantial moment of inertia about axes perpendicular to said firstring body centroidal curve; (d) said door engagement component comprisesa door reinforcement ring that is constructed of a second reinforcementring body that extends along a second ring body centroidal curve; (e)said door reinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that saidsecond ring body centroidal curve has a shape similar to that of a hatchdoor periphery of said hatch door; and (f) said second reinforcementring body has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of saidsecond reinforcement ring body perpendicular to said second ring bodycentroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia aboutaxes perpendicular to said second ring body centroidal curve.
 9. Avehicle body component for mounting to a vehicle that has an enginedisposed in an engine compartment, said vehicle body componentcomprising: (a) a wall; (b) an access hatch engaged to said wall; (c)wherein said access hatch comprises hatch opening perimeter structureengaged to said wall of said vehicle body component; (d) wherein saidhatch opening perimeter structure defines a hatch opening through saidhatch opening perimeter structure and said wall of said vehicle bodycomponent within an inner bound of said hatch opening perimeterstructure; (e) wherein said access hatch comprises a hatch door; (f)wherein said access hatch comprises a hatch hinge that is engaged tosaid hatch opening perimeter structure and said hatch door in a mannersuch that said hatch door is pivotally supported relative to said hatchopening perimeter structure by said hatch hinge; (g) wherein said hatchdoor may be pivoted between a closed position in which said hatch doorsubstantially covers and prevents passage of objects through said hatchopening and an open position in which said hatch door leaves said hatchopening exposed so that objects may pass through said hatch opening; (h)wherein said hatch hinge comprises a first plate and a second plate bothof which are pivotally engaged to a hinge pin of said hatch hinge in amanner such that relative movement between said first plate and saidsecond plate is substantially constricted to rotation about alongitudinal axis of said hinge pin which longitudinal axis of saidhinge pin defines a hinge axis of said access hatch; (i) wherein saidfirst plate of said hatch hinge is fixedly engaged, directly orindirectly, to said hatch door; (j) wherein said second plate of saidhatch hinge is fixedly engaged, directly or indirectly, to said hatchopening perimeter structure; (k) wherein said access hatch comprises atorsion spring that comprises a spring body comprising a helically woundcoil that extends circumferentially around a twist axis of said torsionspring and also along said twist axis of said torsion spring; (l)wherein said first plate, said second plate, and said hinge pin of saidhatch hinge are constructed and engaged to one another in such a mannerthat a spring body void is defined surrounding a portion of said hingepin of said hatch hinge; (m) wherein said hinge pin and said torsionspring are disposed relative to one another such that said portion ofsaid hinge pin around which said spring body void is defined extendsthrough said helically wound coil of said spring body of said torsionspring; (n) wherein said torsion spring comprises two legs, one of whichextends radially away from said twist axis of said torsion spring fromeach end of said helically wound coil of said spring body of saidtorsion spring; and (o) wherein said legs of said torsion spring aredisposed such that at some point as said hatch door is pivoted aboutsaid hinge axis of said access hatch relative to said hatch openingperimeter structure said hatch door or a component engaged to said hatchdoor will abut one of said legs of said torsion spring and said hatchopening perimeter structure or a component engaged to it will abut adifferent one of said legs of said torsion spring and rotation of saidhatch door will be resisted in one direction by said torsion spring assaid legs exert opposing forces directly or indirectly upon said hatchdoor and said hatch opening perimeter structure.
 10. The vehicle bodycomponent of claim 9 , wherein: (a) said access hatch is constructedsuch that said torsion spring is closest to its free state when saidhatch door is in said open position relative to said hatch openingperimeter structure.
 11. The vehicle body component of claim 10 ,wherein: (a) said torsion spring is constructed with a spring rate suchthat when said hatch door is i n said open position said torsion springexerts sufficient moment upon said hatch door to counteract any momentexerted upon said hatch door by gravity and, thus, said torsion springis capable of maintaining said hatch door in said open position.
 12. Thevehicle body component of claim 11 , wherein: (a) said access hatchfurther comprises a door engagement component that is fixedly engaged tosaid hatch door; (b) said first plate of said hatch hinge is fixedlyengaged to said door engagement component and said first plate isengaged to said hatch door only through its engagement to said doorengagement component; (c) said access hatch further comprises a wallengagement component that is fixedly engaged to said hatch openingperimeter structure; (d) said second plate of said hatch hinge isfixedly engaged to said wall engagement component and said second plateis engaged to said hatch opening perimeter structure only through itsengagement to said wall engagement component; (e) said wall engagementcomponent is constructed such that it provides substantial reinforcementfor said hatch opening perimeter structure; and (f) said door engagementcomponent is constructed such that it provides substantial reinforcementfor said hatch door.
 13. The vehicle body component of claim 12 ,wherein: (a) said wall engagement component is of unitary construction;and (b) said door engagement component is of unitary construction. 14.The vehicle body component of claim 13 , wherein: (a) said wallengagement component comprises an opening perimeter reinforcement ringthat is constructed of a first reinforcement ring body that extendsalong a first ring body centroidal curve; (b) said opening perimeterreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said first ringbody centroidal curve is of a shape similar to a shape of said innerbound of said hatch opening perimeter structure; (c) said firstreinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majority of crosssections of said first reinforcement ring body perpendicular to saidfirst ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment ofinertia about axes perpendicular to said first ring body centroidalcurve; (d) said door engagement component comprises a door reinforcementring that is constructed of a second reinforcement ring body thatextends along a second ring body centroidal curve; (e) said doorreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said secondring body centroidal curve has a shape similar to that of a hatch doorperiphery of said hatch door; and (f) said second reinforcement ringbody has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of said secondreinforcement ring body perpendicular to said second ring bodycentroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia aboutaxes perpendicular to said second ring body centroidal curve.
 15. Thevehicle body component of claim 9 , wherein: (a) said vehicle bodycomponent is an engine compartment hood; and (b) said wall of saidvehicle body component is a hood outer wall and said engine compartmenthood is constructed such that when said engine compartment hood ismounted to the vehicle said hood outer wall at least partially isolatesthe engine from undesirable elements of an environment on a side of saidhood outer wall opposite the engine of the vehicle.
 16. The vehicle bodycomponent of claim 11 , wherein: (a) said vehicle body component is anengine compartment hood; and (b) said wall of said vehicle bodycomponent is a hood outer wall and said engine compartment hood isconstructed such that when said engine compartment hood is mounted tothe vehicle said hood outer wall at least partially isolates the enginefrom undesirable elements of an environment on a side of said hood outerwall opposite the engine of the vehicle.
 17. The vehicle body componentof claim 14 , wherein: (a) said vehicle body component is an enginecompartment hood; and (b) said wall of said vehicle body component is ahood outer wall and said engine compartment hood is constructed suchthat when said engine compartment hood is mounted to the vehicle saidhood outer wall at least partially isolates the engine from undesirableelements of an environment on a side of said hood outer wall oppositethe engine of the vehicle.
 18. An access hatch reinforcement module forassembly to a hatch door which has a hatch door periphery, and hatchopening perimeter structure which has an inner bound, and where theaccess hatch reinforcement module, the hatch door, and the hatch openingperimeter structure may be included as parts of a wall assembly and anaccess hatch thereof after assembly of the components to one another,the access hatch reinforcement module comprising: (a) a wall engagementcomponent designed to be engaged to the hatch opening perimeterstructure; (b) a door engagement component designed to be engaged to thehatch door; (c) wherein temporary fixed engagements temporarily fixedlyengage said wall engagement component to said door engagement component;(d) a hatch hinge that comprises a first plate, a second plate and ahinge pin that are constructed and engaged to one another in such amanner that, were said hatch hinge free of engagements to any othercomponents, relative movement between said first plate and said secondplate would be substantially constricted to rotation about alongitudinal axis of said hinge pin which longitudinal axis of saidhinge pin defines a hinge axis of said hatch hinge; (e) wherein saidfirst plate of said hatch hinge is fixedly engaged to said doorengagement component and said second plate of said hatch hinge isfixedly engaged to said wall engagement component such that, were saidtemporary fixed engagements of said wall engagement component to saiddoor engagement component to be separated, said door engagementcomponent would be pivotally engaged to said wall engagement componentby said hatch hinge; (f) wherein said access hatch reinforcement modulecomprises a torsion spring that comprises a spring body comprising ahelically wound coil that extends circumferentially around and along atwist axis of said torsion spring; (g) wherein said first plate, saidsecond plate, and said hinge pin of said hatch hinge are constructed andengaged to one another in such a manner that a spring body void isdefined surrounding a portion of said hinge pin of said hatch hinge; (h)wherein said hinge pin and said torsion spring are disposed relative toone another such that said portion of said hinge pin around which saidspring body void is defined extends through said helically wound coil ofsaid spring body of said torsion spring; (i) wherein said torsion springcomprises two legs, one of which extends radially away from said twistaxis of said torsion spring from each end of said helically wound coilof said spring body of said torsion spring; and (j) wherein said legs ofsaid torsion spring are disposed such that, after said access hatchreinforcement module is properly assembled to the hatch openingperimeter structure and the hatch door, were said temporary fixedengagements between said door engagement component and said wallengagement component separated, and were said door engagement componentpivoted relative to said wall engagement component, at some point saiddoor engagement component or a component engaged to it will abut one ofsaid legs of said torsion spring and said wall engagement component or acomponent engaged to it will abut an opposite one of said legs of saidtorsion spring and rotation of said door engagement component will beresisted in one direction by said torsion spring as said legs applyopposing forces directly or indirectly to said door engagement componentand said wall engagement component.
 19. The access hatch reinforcementmodule of claim 18 , wherein: (a) said wall engagement component andsaid door engagement component are positioned relative to one another ina same position as said wall engagement component and said doorengagement component would be in relative to one another after assemblyof the wall assembly and the access hatch were complete and if the hatchdoor were positioned in its closed position.
 20. The access hatchreinforcement module of claim 19 , wherein: (a) one or more of saidtemporary fixed engagements of said door engagement component to saidwall engagement component are effected as a result of one or more tabsextending between and being fixedly engaged in a temporary manner toboth said door engagement component and said wall engagement component.21. The access hatch reinforcement module of claim 20 , wherein: (a)each one of said one or more tabs that extend between and are fixedlyengaged to both said door engagement component and said wall engagementcomponent in a temporary manner has a middle portion disposed betweenterminal end portions of said tab that are fixedly engaged to said doorengagement component and said wall engagement component; and (b) saidtabs are positioned relative to said wall engagement component and saiddoor engagement component such that, after said access hatchreinforcement module is mounted to the hatch door and the hatch openingperimeter structure, and before said temporary fixed engagements of saidwall engagement component to said door engagement component areseparated, said middle portion of said tabs is disposed adjacent thehatch door periphery of the hatch door.
 22. A vehicle, comprising: (a) aframe to which a large percentage of other components of said vehicleare directly or indirectly engaged; (b) a suspension system, forsupporting said frame, to which said frame is engaged; (c) one or morebody structures engaged to said frame; (d) wherein one of said bodystructures engaged to said frame comprises a wall assembly and an accesshatch of said wall assembly; (e) wherein said wall assembly and saidaccess hatch of said wall assembly comprise a hatch opening perimeterstructure within an inner bound of which a hatch opening is defined; (f)wherein said wall assembly and said access hatch of said wall assemblyfurther comprise a hatch door; (k) wherein said wall assembly and saidaccess hatch of said wall assembly comprise a hatch hinge that comprisesa first plate, a second plate and a hinge pin that are constructed andengaged to one another in such a manner that relative movement betweensaid first plate and said second plate is substantially constricted torotation about a longitudinal axis of said hinge pin which longitudinalaxis of said hinge pin defines a hinge axis of said hatch hinge; (l)wherein said first plate of said hatch hinge is fixedly engaged directlyor indirectly to said hatch door and said second plate of said hatchhinge is fixedly engaged directly or indirectly to said hatch openingperimeter structure such that said hatch door is pivotally engaged tosaid hatch opening perimeter structure by said hatch hinge; (m) whereinsaid access hatch comprises a torsion spring that comprises a springbody comprising a helically wound coil that extends circumferentiallyaround and along a twist axis of said torsion spring; (n) wherein saidfirst plate, said second plate, and said hinge pin of said hatch hingeare constructed and engaged to one another in such a manner that aspring body void is defined surrounding a portion of said hinge pin ofsaid hatch hinge; (o) wherein said hinge pin and said torsion spring aredisposed relative to one another such that said portion of said hingepin around which said spring body void is defined extends through saidhelically wound coil of said spring body of said torsion spring; (p)wherein said torsion spring comprises two legs, one of which extendsradially away from said twist axis of said torsion spring from each endof said helically wound coil of said spring body of said torsion spring;and (q) wherein said legs of said torsion spring are disposed such thatas said hatch door is pivoted relative to said hatch opening perimeterstructure, at some point said hatch door or a component engaged to itwill abut one of said legs of said torsion spring and said hatch openingperimeter structure or a component engaged to it will abut a differentone of said legs of said torsion spring, and rotation of said hatch doorwill be resisted in one direction by said torsion spring as said legsexert opposing forces directly or indirectly upon said hatch door andsaid hatch opening perimeter structure.
 23. The vehicle of claim 22 ,wherein: (a) said access hatch is constructed such that said torsionspring is closest to its free state when said hatch door is in said openposition relative to said hatch opening perimeter structure.
 24. Thevehicle of claim 23 , wherein: (a) said torsion spring is constructedwith a spring rate such that said when said hatch door is in said openposition said torsion spring exerts sufficient moment upon said hatchdoor to counteract any moment exerted upon said hatch door by gravityand, thus, said torsion spring is capable of maintaining said hatch doorin said open position.
 25. The vehicle of claim 24 , wherein: (a) saidaccess hatch further comprises a door engagement component that isfixedly engaged to said hatch door; (b) said first plate of said hatchhinge is fixedly engaged to said door engagement component and saidfirst plate is engaged to said hatch door only through its engagement tosaid door engagement component; (c) said access hatch further comprisesa wall engagement component that is fixedly engaged to said hatchopening perimeter structure; (d) said second plate of said hatch hingeis fixedly engaged to said wall engagement component and said secondplate is engaged to said hatch opening perimeter structure only throughits engagement to said wall engagement component; (e) wherein said wallengagement component is constructed such that it provides substantialreinforcement for said hatch opening perimeter structure; and (f)wherein said door engagement component is constructed such that itprovides substantial reinforcement for said hatch door.
 26. The vehicleof claim 25 , wherein: (c) said wall engagement component is of unitaryconstruction; and (d) said door engagement component is of unitaryconstruction.
 27. The vehicle of claim 26 , wherein: (g) said wallengagement component comprises an opening perimeter reinforcement ringthat is constructed of a first reinforcement ring body that extendsalong a first ring body centroidal curve; (h) said opening perimeterreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said first ringbody centroidal curve is of a shape similar to a shape of said innerbound of said hatch opening perimeter structure; (i) said firstreinforcement ring body has a shape such that a majority of crosssections of said first reinforcement ring body perpendicular to saidfirst ring body centroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment ofinertia about axes perpendicular to said first ring body centroidalcurve; (j) said door engagement component comprises a door reinforcementring that is constructed of a second reinforcement ring body thatextends along a second ring body centroidal curve; (k) said doorreinforcement ring is constructed with a shape such that said secondring body centroidal curve has a shape similar to that of a hatch doorperiphery of said hatch door; and (g) said second reinforcement ringbody has a shape such that a majority of cross sections of said secondreinforcement ring body perpendicular to said second ring bodycentroidal curve have a relatively substantial moment of inertia aboutaxes perpendicular to said second ring body centroidal curve.
 28. Thevehicle of claim 22 , wherein: (a) said vehicle further comprises anengine that is disposed within an engine compartment of said vehicle;(b) said body structure of said vehicle that comprises said wallassembly and said access hatch is an engine compartment hood of saidvehicle; (c) said engine compartment hood is constructed and engaged tosaid vehicle in a manner such that said engine compartment hood can beselectively moved between a closed position and an open position; (d)said wall to which said hatch opening perimeter structure is engaged isa hood outer wall; (e) said engine compartment hood and said hood outerwall are constructed and said engine compartment hood is engaged to saidvehicle in such a manner that when said engine compartment hood isdisposed in its closed position said hood outer wall at least partiallyisolates said engine from undesirable elements in an environment on aside of said hood outer wall opposite said engine and access to saidengine for such tasks as maintenance is substantially obstructed by saidhood outer wall; (f) said hatch opening which is defined through saidhatch opening perimeter structure is also defined through said hoodouter wall; and (g) said hatch door of said access hatch of said enginecompartment hood is moveable between its open and closed positionsindependently of movements of said engine compartment hood between itsopen and closed positions such that access to said engine for suchpurposes as maintenance is possible with said engine compartment hood inits open position and said hatch door in its closed position, or,alternatively, with said engine compartment hood in its closed positionand said hatch door in its open position.
 29. The vehicle of claim 24 ,wherein: (a) said vehicle further comprises an engine that is disposedwithin an engine compartment of said vehicle; (b) said body structure ofsaid vehicle that comprises said wall assembly and said access hatch isan engine compartment hood of said vehicle; (c) said engine compartmenthood is constructed and engaged to said vehicle in a manner such thatsaid engine compartment hood can be selectively moved between a closedposition and an open position; (d) said engine compartment hoodcomprises a hood outer wall; (e) said engine compartment hood and saidhood outer wall are constructed and said engine compartment hood isengaged to said vehicle in such a manner that when said enginecompartment hood is disposed in its closed position said hood outer wallat least partially isolates said engine from undesirable elements in anenvironment on a side of said hood outer wall opposite said engine andaccess to said engine for such tasks as maintenance is substantiallyobstructed by said hood outer wall; (f) said hatch opening perimeterstructure of said access hatch is engaged to said hood outer wall ofsaid engine compartment hood and said hatch opening which is definedthrough said hatch opening perimeter structure is also defined throughsaid hood outer wall; said (g) said hatch door of said access hatch ofsaid engine compartment hood is moveable between its open and closedpositions independently of movements of said engine compartment hoodbetween its open and closed positions such that access to said enginefor such purposes as maintenance is possible with said enginecompartment hood in its open position and said hatch door in its closedposition, or, alternatively, with said engine compartment hood in itsclosed position and said hatch door in its open position.
 30. Thevehicle of claim 27 , wherein: (a) said vehicle further comprises anengine that is disposed within an engine compartment of said vehicle;(b) said body structure of said vehicle that comprises said wallassembly and said access hatch is an engine compartment hood of saidvehicle; (c) said engine compartment hood is constructed and engaged tosaid vehicle in a manner such that said engine compartment hood can beselectively moved between a closed position and an open position; (d)said engine compartment hood comprises a hood outer wall; (e) saidengine compartment hood and said hood outer wall are constructed andsaid engine compartment hood is engaged to said vehicle in such a mannerthat when said engine compartment hood is disposed in its closedposition said hood outer wall at least partially isolates said enginefrom undesirable elements in an environment on a side of said hood outerwall opposite said engine and access to said engine for such tasks asmaintenance is substantially obstructed by said hood outer wall; (f)said hatch opening perimeter structure of said access hatch is engagedto said hood outer wall of said engine compartment hood and said hatchopening which is defined through said hatch opening perimeter structureis also defined through said hood outer wall; said (g) said hatch doorof said access hatch of said engine compartment hood is moveable betweenits open and closed positions independently of movements of said enginecompartment hood between its open and closed positions such that accessto said engine for such purposes as maintenance is possible with saidengine compartment hood in its open position and said hatch door in itsclosed position, or, alternatively, with said engine compartment hood inits closed position and said hatch door in its open position.